Fully automatic electric can opener



3,069,771 FULLY AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC CAN OPENER Edward E. Moran, Box 92, Casmalia, Calif. Filed Jan. 3, 1961, Ser. No. 80,412 3 Claims. (Cl. 30-4) This invention relates generally to can openers and more particularly to an improved electric can opener which is substantially completely automatic in operation.

Electric can openers have been proposed heretofore. Generally, however, these prior art devices are relatively expensive to manufacture, relatively complicated in structure, and usually require some manual operations to be performed in order to effect a cutting operation. In addition, only certain sized cans can be effectively opened in an automatic manner, and thus the use of such devices has been limited.

With the foregoing in mind, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a greatly improved electric can opener which is substantially completely automatic in operation so that the only manual operations necessary are that of inserting the can and then removing the can from a convenient platform or tray after it has been opened.

More particularly, it is an object to provide an electric can opener of the foregoing type which may be used to open different sized cans up to, for example, one gallon capacity.

Still another object is to provide an electric can opener in which all exposed metallic surfaces are at ground potential to insure maximum safety.

More general objects of the invention are to provide an electric can opener which is mechanically rugged and simple and which is adapted for compact construction whereby a neat appearance is presented if the can opener is exposed. On the other hand, the compact feature simplifies storing of the can opener in an enclosed cabinet or the like.

A particular object of the invention is to provide an electric can opener in which the can is automatically released only after the top has been completely severed, there being no dependence on timing gears for releasing the can or the like so that the operation is substantially fool proof.

Another particular object of the invention is to provide a. novel platform structure for holding the can after release which does not appreciably increase the overall bulk of the can opener even though the can to be held may be of one gallon capacity.

These and many other objects of this invention are attained by providing a basic support housing for receiving a can together with a conventional cutting disc and toothed feeding wheel for sandwiching the upper lip of the can upon starting of the device. The cutting wheel itself constitutes part of a novel piercing and cutting means movably mounted to the support housing. A suitable motor, together with power means for coupling the motor to drive the cutting and piercing means and feeding wheel, is all included within the housing structure and is arranged to be actuated automatically upon insertion of a can in the opener.

Magnetic means are coupled to the piercing and cutting means and adapted to rest on. the lid of the can in such a manner that when the lid is completely severed,

States Patent the magnetic means will be moved. This action in turn will trigger means for retracting the piercing and cutting means. Retraction of the piercing and cutting means will permit the canto drop on a suitable platform. Thus,- the can will not be released until the lid is entirely severed.

Suitable stopping means may also be incorporated for stopping the drive motor after it has operated a sufiicient length of time to enable opening of the larger sized con: templated cans such as a gallon can. By this arrangement, complicated gear shifting mechanisms and a large number of different sized gears may be avoided.

A better understanding of the invention as well as further features and advantages will be had by now referring to one embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a highly schematic perspective view partly broken away showing the principal components making up the can opener of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary view taken in the direc: tion of the arrows 2-2 of FIGURE 1; and,

FIGURE 3 is a reduced, overall perspective view of the can opener housing.

Referring first to FIGURE 1, there is provided a basic support housing 16 illustrated in the lower right-hand corner of FIGURE 1. As shown, a platform 11 extends from and is supported by housing 16. An auxiliary plat,-

- form 12 in turn is held in spaced relationship above the platform 11 by a suitable side member 13 hinged at 14 to the end of the platform 11. With this arrangement, the entire auxiliary platform 12 and member 13 may be swung in a clockwise direction about the hinge 14 in the direction of the arrow 15 so as to expose the-platform 11 to receive larger sized cans. The platform 11 includes a central permanent magnet 16 to hold the larger sized cans. For conventional cans, the auxiliary platform 12 will be in the position shown.

As indicated by the dashed lines, a conventional can 17 provided with an upper annular lip 18 is shown in position to be engaged and pierced by a suitable piercing and cutting means designated generally by the numeral 19. This piercing and cutting means includes a disc member 20 supporting an eccentrically mounted cutting wheel 21. The disc member 20 is mounted for partial rotation by a shaft 22 terminating in a gear 23. The shaft 22 may be journaled in the housing as indicated schematically at 24. With this arrangement, a partial rotation of the disc member 20 by turning of the gear 23 and shaft 22 will cause the cutting wheel 21 to move towards the dotted line position to pierce the upper portion of the can 17.

A can feeding wheel 25 is disposed below the cutting wheel 21 for engaging the under side of the lip in a conventional manner. Wheel 25 is driven by a shaft 26 terminating in a power gear 27. Suitable journaling supports such as schematically indicated at 28 are pro vided for the shaft 26*. The shaft is shown partly broken away to avoid obscuring other portions of the drawing.

To drive the gears 23 and 27, there is provided a power means including an integral gear wheel 29 provided with gear teeth 30 extending entirely around the periphery of the wheel. Also included are sector portions 31 and 32 extending axially forwardly from the gear wheel. 29 as shown. The sector gear portions 31 and 32 are arranged to respectively engage the power gear 27 and the gear 23 for the piercing and cutting disc member 20. The entire gear Wheel 29 is supported for rotation by a suitable shaft 33.

Rotation of wheel 29 is effected through a coupling gear 34 engaging gear teeth 30, the gear 34 being connected through shaft 35 to motor 36. As shown, a terminal lead of the motor 36 is grounded at 37 and a power lead 38 extends through a switch means 39. Switch means 39 includes a switch arm 40. A source of electrical energy is arranged to be passed through the switch means 39 by a power lead 41.

The switch arm 40 is arranged to be actuated by a push rod 42 positioned to be urged by the can 17 in the direction of the arrow 43 to actuate the arm when the can is inserted to turn on the switch. Switch arm 40 is also designed to be engaged by a small projection 44 secured to the gear wheel 29. Successive actuation of the switch arm will alternately turn the motor on and off.

Referring once again to the upper right hand portion of the drawing adjacent to the piercing and cutting means 19, there is provided a magnetic means including a Weighted magnet 45 on one end of a bent arm 46. Am 46 passes through a flexible universal mounting 47 within the disc member 20. The other end of the arm 46 terminates in a trigger portion 48 arranged to engage a U- shaped spring 49. One end of the U-shaped spring 49 is anchored to the housing as indicated schematically at 50. A small catch 51 constituting an integral projection on the periphery of the disc member 20 is positioned such that it will be engaged by the spring -49 to hold the disc member 20 in its rotated operative position in which the cutting wheel 21 is caused to pierce the can. A tangential spring 52 normally biases the disc member 20 to a'position in which the cutting wheel 21 is free of the can.

With particular reference to FIGURE 2, it will be noted that when the disc member 20 is rotated to lower the cutting wheel 21, catch 51 will snap over the end of the spring 49. However, if the weighted magnet 45 of FIGURE 1 falls, as will occur when the lid is completely severed, its trigger end 48 will be rocked upwardly as indicated by the dotted lines in FIGURE 2 to engage the U-shaped spring 49 and urge it from under the catch portion 51 of the disc member 20. As a consequence, the spring 52 of FIGURE 1 can then return the disc member to its solid line position shown in FIGURE 1 to raise the cutting wheel 21 from the can.

The operation of the can opener will be evident from the foregoing description. If a conventional sized can is to be opened such as indicated by the dashed lines 17, initial insertion of the can will engage the push rod 42 to operate the switch arm 40 and thus energize the motor through power on lead 41, switch 39, lead 38, to the motor 36 and ground at 37. Operation of the motor will rotate gear 34 to rotate gear wheel 29 in the direction indicated by the arrows. Initially, the sector gear 32 will engage the gear 23 to partially rotate the shaft 22 and thus the disc member 20 as also indicated by the arrows. This action, as described heretofore, will lower the cutting wheel 21 to cause the same to pierce the lid of the can and sandwich the lip 18 with the feeding wheel 25.

As the power means gear wheel 29 continues to rotate, the sector gear 31 will engage the power gear 27 to rotate the shaft 26 and feeding wheel 25, thereby causing the can to rotate and the cutting wheel to commence severing of the top of the can. The arcuate extent of the sector gear 31 is sufficient to insure that the lid of the largest contemplated sized can will be completely severed.

When the lid is completely severed, the weighted magnet 45 will drop downwardly with the lid, thereby rocking the triggering end 48 of the arm 46 upwardly which action will release the spring 49 as described in connection with FIGURE 2, thereby permitting the biasing spring 52 to retract the cutting wheel 21. This movement can be cffected since the gear 23 is free of the sector gear 32 after initial piercing has taken place.

With retraction of the cutting wheel 21, the can 17 will be free to drop onto the platform 12. Even though the lid is completely severed and the can ejected, the motor will continue to operate until the projection 44 engages the switch arm 40, thereby throwing the switch 39 to cut oif the motor 36. At this time, the various parts will have returned to their initial position as illustrated in solid lines in FIGURE 1 ready for reception of the next can.

For large cans, as also described heretofore, the platform 12 is swung downwardly and the platform 11 employed to receive the can. The magnet 16 will insure that the large can will be held on the platform after it has been released by the cutting wheel 21. In opening large cans, there need be no delay from the time the can is released until the projection 44 will operate the switch 39 to cut off the motor 36.

Referring now to FIGURE 3, the housing 10 may include trays 53 which may be pulled outwardly from the front of the housig for receiving flat type cans such as sardine cans. These trays are preferably U-shaped as shown in perspective so that the ends can be received.

around the actuating mechanism Within the housing.

From the foregoing description, it will be evident that the present invention has provided a greatly improved electric can opener. The number of components necessary for eifecting a fully automatic operation are relatively few. Therefore, long life and reliability is insured. Further, the mechanism responsive to severing of the lid is shielded behind the cutting wheel and is actually contained within the housing so that it will not become clogged or jammed by food particles.

While the power means for coupling the driving motor to the various driving gear and piercing and cutting 'means has been illustrated as a single gear wheel including sector gear portions, separated sector gears could be employed if desired, all secured on the same shaft. Thus, various changes and modifications that fall clearly within the scope and spirit of the invention will occur to those skilled in the art. The fully automatic electric can opener is therefore not to be thought of as limited to the one embodiment set forth merely for illustrative purposes.

What is claimed is:

l. A fully automatic electric can opener comprising, in combination: a support housing; piercing and cutting means movably mounted to said support housing; a feeding wheel rotationally mounted to said support housing in cooperative relationship with said piercing and cutting means; a motor; power means coupled to said motor and to said piercing and cutting means and feeding wheel to operate said piercing and cutting means and feeding wheel when said motor is started; switch means operated upon insertion of said can to start said motor; and magnetic means coupled to said piercing and cutting means adapted to rest on the lid of said can, said magnetic means being responsive to dropping of said lid after complete severance thereof to cause retraction of said cut-ting and piercing means to release said can, said power means including motor stopping means for operating said switch means to stop said motor after said power means has completed its cycle.

2. A can opener according to claim 1, in which said power means comprises an integral gear wheel coupled for rotation by said motor and including sec-tor gear portions extending in an axial direction to operate said piercing and cutting means and said feeding wheel, respectively, said piercing and cutting means including a disc member coupled for partial rotation by one of said sector portions; a cutting wheel eccentrically secured to said disc member, said magnetic means including an arm universally mounted in said disc terminating at one end in a weighted magnet adapted to rest on the lid of said can,

and terminating at its other end in a trigger; a spring biasing said disc member away from its driven operative position to a position in which said cutting wheel is raised; and catch means for holding said disc in its driven position, said catch means being adapted to be engaged by said trigger to release said disc member when said arm moves as a consequence of severing of the lid of said can.

3. A can opener, according to claim 2, in which said support housing includes slidable trays positioned to be pulled from the front thereof immediately below said piercing and cutting means for receiving small, flat type cans after said cans have been opened.

References Qited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Hanby Oct. 11, 1949 Lapierre June 12, 1951 Smith et al. May 29, 1956 Hanby July 24, 1956 Fleming July 24, 1956 Moore Jan. 29, 1957 Hatchet May 14, 1957 Pinette July 28, 1959 Meadows Aug. 4, 1959 Congdon Sept. 13, 1960 

